


To Make A Prince

by Mirime



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Male-Female Friendship, Prompt Fic, Rumbelle Showdown
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-10 22:17:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2042298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirime/pseuds/Mirime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumplestiltskin asks Belle to undertake a special task - tutoring a young shepherd about behaving like a prince.</p><p>A series of stories written for Rumbelle Showdown 2014 on tumblr under the name April Eagle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Request

**Author's Note:**

> So, the first chapter stays unchanged but the subsequent ones will be different from the original posts - more like extended versions or a director's cut. I will put in scenes that ended up taken out due to word limit imposed on the entries or I'll tweak some mistakes I didn't notice the first time around. Plus, the fic gets finished.
> 
> [The original fic](http://rumbelleshowdown.tumblr.com/post/81834933443/to-make-a-prince-request).
> 
> Also, feel free to bother me at my [Tumblr](mirime-kisarrastine.tumblr.com). I love getting messages and asks and anons are always enabled.
> 
> First set of prompts were: _Urgent magic interruption, Truth or consequences, Say something_

It didn't take Belle long after her first few weeks in the Dark Castle to fall into a routine. The division of chores ensured that she was never truly overworked, her cooking improved by leaps and bounds and the library provided well-deserved distraction in the evenings.

And while the castle hid many marvelous and mysterious things, the most interesting one was Rumplestiltskin himself. Belle still found it incredible that the same man who had locked her up in the dungeon and dismissed her homesickness in the beginning was the same person that had been increasingly seeking out her company for idle conversation these days.

She came to enjoy their little chats immensely. His wit, seemingly abrasive at first, made her laugh often and she treasured those little moments. Forever was less daunting with the promise of laughter and companionship.

The only stain at this satisfying arrangement were the frequent interruptions from his magic. She almost resented the times when someone called for Rumplestiltskin with an urgency that would prompt him to leave at once, in the middle of their talk.

While Belle wouldn't begrudge other people the help he could provide, she still despaired when he came back gloating about outwitting yet another person who had asked for his assistance without first inquiring about all the details. However, hearing him talk about some of his deals was for the longest time the only way she was involved.

Then one day, after yet another call from someone, Rumplestiltskin came back with a peculiar expression on his face.

"How did it go?" she asked, thinking that no accord had been reached and he sulked about the waste of his time.

"You were raised a Lady, dearie, is that right?"

Confused by his question, Belle simply nodded.

"Good, good," he spoke as he paced around the table, obviously agitated. "You were taught to dance and dine and talk? To make a good impression on nobles and royals?" he asked as he stopped abruptly before her, looking her up and down.

"Yes?" she half-asked, still uncertain of where the questions were coming from.

"How would you like to be a tutor in those things for someone?"

"Someone?"

She wasn't about to agree to something without knowing the details.

"There is a king in need of an heir. There is a young man fit to be that heir. Alas, he's been raised a poor shepherd. Not exactly a prince material. You will teach him all he needs to know to pull off the charade, the king gets what he wants, the boy gets a life in luxury and everyone is happy."

"Even you?" she asked and Rumplestiltskin giggled.

"Especially me, dearie. You should know by now I don't do things out of a goodness of my heart."

He seemed almost offended at the thought and Belle wasn't about to argue the point. She was quite certain, for example, that a lot of things he had done for her were done out of that disputed goodness of his heart. That wasn't a truth he would want to admit, though. The consequences of her pressing him, well, she would content herself with the fact that she knew it. There might be a time later on when he would be more willing to admit that he did do things sometimes just to be nice.

"And what will I get out of this arrangement?" she asked instead. It wasn't an unreasonable question. Her contract with him was fairly detailed and she was sure teaching shepherds how to behave like princes was nowhere on the list.

The exaggerated expression of shock on Rumplestiltskin's face reminded her of the day they had made the deal and her father had called him a beast. Even the hand-over-his-heart gesture was identical.

"My, my, we'll make a dealmaker out of you yet. Shall I worry about being put out of business?" Belle laughed at that and he grinned back. "What would you like, dearie? A day off? A new dress? A new book? Well, say something," he prompted her and she shook her head.

"I'll need some time to think it over."

"You'll do it then?"

"Yes, I'll do it," she answered, the prospect of interacting with another person very appealing. She wasn't unhappy with only Rumplestiltskin for company but she did miss other people sometimes.

"Excellent." Rumplestiltskin clapped his hands together in glee before turning serious. "Just one thing, dearie. Don't tell the boy about your position here. If he asks, you were brought here just to teach him."

"Alright, I'll tell him that," Belle said, frowning at the thought of lying without understanding the reason. "But why?"

"Young men are prone to acting without thinking," he said with a barely veiled contempt. "He might fancy himself a hero and try to rescue the damsel from the terrible beast. It would be better for everyone if he didn't try at all."

"I see," she replied. It stung her that Rumplestiltskin still thought she would break her word to him. "Good thing I never thought myself a damsel, then. Or that I don't need rescuing from you, either. I imagine an unwilling rescuee would quite ruin the experience."

His previous shock at her words had been as feigned as his current one was genuine. Belle tilted her head to the side and smiled.

"You were the one who wanted me to stay forever and I agreed. You're not getting rid of me so easily," she told him cheerfully and turned to head for the kitchen. "Shall I prepare a dinner for three?" she called out when she was at the door and she was thrilled that it took him several long seconds to find his voice.

"Yes, dear, that would be perfect."


	2. A Dinner For Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original post can be found [here](http://rumbelleshowdown.tumblr.com/post/83990280304/to-make-a-prince-dinner-for-three). The prompts were: In fallow fields, Care to dance?, Hidden powers

Even though Belle prepared only a small meal for the dinner - a soup, a roasted pork and a couple of side dishes and a dessert - she still laid out cutlery as if for a banquet. If this young man was to live in the royal court as the heir, he needed to know how those things went.

She had hunted down a book about etiquette in the library and thumbed through it while she had waited for the meat to be done. It was always good to refresh one's memory about things one no longer practised regularly. Her life in the Dark Castle might have been one of servitude but on the other hand, it freed her from the obligations of her birth. If she didn't miss her Papa and friends, she would be completely happy in this place, she admitted to herself.

There had been some rough patches in the beginning - an understatement, if ever there was one - but Belle had eventually found some contentment, if not downright satisfaction in her new life and duties.

In a way, she felt like she was planting something new in fallow fields. She had the term explained to her when she was younger - had gone once with her father to oversee a planting of one - and she thought the comparison was fitting. The Dark Castle and Rumplestiltskin himself had been left unattended for so long they fell into a casual sort of neglect and she was slowly bringing them back to life, to their full potential. The castle was the easier part although she thought she was doing well with Rumplestiltskin as well, presumptuous as it was of her to think that way.

Once she was done with the dinner preparation, she considered how to dress. Rumplestiltskin wanted it to appear as if she didn't live in the castle with him so her blue working dress, pretty as it was, was out of the question. She shouldn't have worried, though, as when she entered her room, a very pretty green coloured dress was hung on the door of the wardrobe.

She smiled upon seeing it. The dress was simple yet elegant. She imagined it would help her project a similar air to the one her old tutors - especially Miss Melissa, her favourite one - had had about them. Yes, it would do very nicely, especially once she tamed her hair into something more formal.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~

Belle was standing in the entrance hall next to the table with the flower arrangement when the large door opened and admitted Rumplestiltskin who was followed by a tall, fair-haired young man. He was handsome in that standard, conventional way that princes were expected to be so he was a good fit in that regard at the very least. Belle took a step forward and waited for an introduction.

She could tell that the man was surprised upon seeing her present. Rumplestiltskin quickly looked her over and nodded once in approval before stepping to the side and gesturing towards her with a flourish of his right arm.

"Prince James, may I present Lady Belle?" he spoke and Belle sank into a curtsey.

"My lady," the 'Prince' said as he took a hesitant step forward. He was clearly uncomfortable in his obviously new clothes and he tugged at the bottom of his surcoat nervously.

"Your Highness." Belle acknowledged his greeting and straightened up, offering him her right hand. She suppressed a smile when he shook it. Rumplestiltskin didn't show such restraint.

"My, my, I see I was right to arrange for the lessons," he said with a high-pitched giggle. "Do your job, Lady Belle," he prompted her and she chose to smile reassuringly at the embarrassed young man instead of rolling her eyes at Rumplestiltskin. If there was one thing she knew about teaching, it was that a positive encouragement and kind correction yielded better results than a strict chastisement or outright mockery.

"When a lady offers you her hand upon your first meeting," she explained kindly, "you take it and kiss the back of it. But you actually don't touch it with your lips, just pretend to."

"Yes, people usually have some aversion to being slobbered over," Rumplestiltskin commented idly, watching the pair of them avidly. Belle bit her lip to stop herself from smiling and she nodded at 'James' encouragingly.

"I see," 'James' said and Belle held out her hand again. This time he carefully raised it to his lips, keeping a small distance from her skin before releasing it.

"Good," she praised him. "You are a quick learner, Prince James."

He frowned a bit at the name but nodded. Belle considered it for a moment and then she raised her hand again. Better to get it all out of the way.

"There are four kinds of hand kissing altogether that vary depending on the familiarity between people. It is usually the lady who decides how familiar she allows the man to be with her. The kiss to the back of the hand is a standard, a greeting reserved for strangers or for the acquaintances she doesn't like much. The kiss to the fingers." She wiggled them for emphasis. "Is for close friends or for the beginning of the courtship. It's more familiar. Then a kiss to the palm." Belle turned her wrist gracefully. "It's intimate and usually only allowed to one's lover when in public. The last kiss is over the wrist at the pulse point. It's considered indecent to allow it in public and is thus reserved for private encounters between lovers and is generally-" she paused, searching for a delicate way to phrase it and Rumplestiltskin filled in gleefully.

"It's generally a prelude to fornication."

Belle was glad to see that 'James' blushed at the bluntness, too.

"It's generally a prelude to greater intimacies," she said decisively, staring at Rumpletiltskin with clear disapproval. She was a tutor to the would-be-prince at his own request so he should let her do the job without constantly interrupting. Some of her feelings must have gotten through because he sketched a brief bow in apology and then moved around them quickly.

"Let's proceed to the dinner," he said and turned towards 'James'. "And you, dearie, will escort the lady."

He mimicked holding out an arm and 'James' copied him. Belle hooked her arm through his, keeping the proper distance and almost wishing Rumplestiltskin would be the one leading her into the hall. 'James' was not as tall as Gaston had been but he still towered over her by a fair bit and she had to raise her own arm uncomfortably high to take his. She wouldn't have that problem with the short Dark One.

They walked slowly up the stairs and through the few corridors and Belle could see 'James' looking around with interest. He didn't seem afraid of being in Rumplestiltskin's abode. She wondered if he was impressed by the ostentatiously displayed wealth - Rumplestiltskin had said the boy had been a poor shepherd - or merely curious about the different things that could be seen. She also felt a bit proud at his appreciative gaze. The corridors were much cleaner and less dustier these days, thanks to her hard work.

When they entered the main hall with the long table, she let him escort her to where she prepared three seating places. Rumplestiltskin took his usual place at the head of the table and Belle tugged at her companion's arm and directed him to the place at the left.

"The guests of honour, like you, have seats to the right of the host. But since you're escorting me, you take me to my place first."

He pulled out her chair without prompting and held it out for her before going to sit in his own. Looking at the table, Belle realized she had forgotten about one thing.

She was usually the one to bring the food in on the tray but as she was posing as a tutor brought in just to teach 'James', she couldn't do it. She looked imploringly at Rumplestiltskin who smirked as he realized her predicament. Instead of helping, though, he just grinned and picked up a salad fork.

"There is an awful lot of kitchenware on my table, dearie. Care to explain why?"

"This is a formal arrangement for a banquet," she said with a sigh. "There can be up to ten or even twelve courses and there is a different cutlery for each. To make it easier to remember, the servants usually arrange it in order in which they are to be used from the furthest from the plate to the closest to it. Forks always go to the left and knives and spoons to the right."

"Interesting, wouldn't you agree, Jamie?" Rumplestiltskin asked. "And are we to have a banquet, my lady?"

Belle glared at him briefly. She knew he was acting up on purpose but if he was going to play, so would she.

"Well, I wouldn't know, sir," she said demurely. "I'm not your cook."

She saw his eyes widen in surprise and then he laughed, shortly and sharply, startling 'James' into dropping the oyster spoon he was studying curiously.

"Indeed you're not, dearie. How forgetful of me. Must be my old age catching up." He snapped his fingers and a plate full of hot soup appeared in front of each of them. "Well, I'd say no banquet this time. And I was so looking forward to the entrées."

There was silence for a while while they ate the soup and then Belle tried to engage 'James' in a dialogue during the second course. He answered some of her questions more readily than the others although he was quite tight-lipped at the subject of his new home. It was then that Belle realized that he had yet to see the castle and the king that were to be his new home and family. It was quite similar to her own situation in some ways and she felt a burst of kinship for this young man.

She let him finish the meal in silence and Rumplestiltskin took him away shortly after to show him to his room. She tidied up after their meal but lingered in the hall, knowing that Rumplestiltskin would want to talk to her. She thought it her hidden power sometimes, her ability to anticipate his moods and needs without him saying anything. He always acted bewildered after her displays of consideration but his reactions were getting less pronounced with time. One day, she hoped he would accept her kindness as a natural part of their interactions. Until then, she would keep doing as she had until now.

She also needed to have a word with him about his conduct. While she realized he had a reputation to uphold, she wouldn't tolerate his constant attempts at bewildering, disconcerting or even frightening their guest. Especially since the said guest had been brought in by him.

"Care to dance, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin asked, quietly appearing by her side, startling her from her thoughts.

"I'm sorry?" she asked but he took her hand and twirled her around once before he answered.

"Tomorrow, you will instruct him in ballroom dancing. Don't worry," he said as he leaned in conspiratorially. "I'll enchant your feet so you won't feel it when he steps on them."

Belle covered her mouth to hide her smile and shook her head indulgently.

"Don't," she told him. "How else am I supposed to know if he's actually improving? Unless you would offer your input on that as well, since you seem so fond of doing that."

Rumplestiltskin cocked his head to the side, studying her.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked at last.

"Irritated," she clarified. "You gave me this task to do but you won't let me do it properly. If you don't like the way I go about things, then you shouldn't have asked me at all."

"What is it you want?"

"I want you to trust me to keep my word," she said quietly. "I told you I'd teach him all he needs to know and that I'd keep my real position secret." She saw him grimace and look away from her and she sighed. "If you can't trust me, at least stop being so obnoxious during the lessons. Stop teasing him and trying to unsettle me. And don't go around enchanting my feet. I'm going to teach him the hard way," she added in an attempt to lighten the mood. He smiled a bit at that.

"Well, it's your feet that will suffer," he said with a shrug and let go of her hand, Belle suddenly becoming aware he had hold it the whole time they were talking. He took a deep bow. "My lady, I bid you good night."

She curtseyed back to him, smiling at his playful mood after the seriousness of their talk.

"Good night, Rumplestiltskin."

She was smiling all the way back to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The different kisses were inspired by a medieval tradition of chivalry and chaste courtship, called minna. In real life, the last one was actually not a prelude to fornication but instead an expression of the highest possible regard a lady had for her knight. At least it was supposed to be that way.
> 
> Also, for the green dress think the one from the Disney movie, the scene where the Beast shows Belle the library. I always liked their design.


	3. A Breakfast At Rumplestiltskin's

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original post is [here](http://rumbelleshowdown.tumblr.com/post/85972974608/to-make-a-prince-breakfast-at-rumplestiltskins). The prompts were: _Womanizer_ , _A close shave_ , _Just one kiss_

It was a force of habit that led Belle to the kitchen early in the morning. Putting on a kettle of tea, cooking a pot of porridge or preparing a plate of bread and cheese, the chores came to her naturally after a few months of doing them. It was a peaceful time for her when she could think about the day ahead and plan her activities accordingly.

Rumplestiltskin, though early riser himself, rarely bothered with breakfast, preferring to spend his mornings in his tower and coming down for lunch.

So she was quite startled when she heard someone clear their throat from behind her. She was just glad she wasn't holding anything at that moment or she was sure she would have dropped it.

"I'm sorry," 'James' spoke up when she turned to him. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, that's alright," Belle told him and smiled. "I'm just not used to anyone being here so early."

He frowned a bit at those words.

"You live here?" he asked and Belle bit her bottom lip. So much for keeping her true position in the castle a secret. Then again, 'James' was just suspicious at the moment and she could dismiss that suspicion easily. She wasn't much for lying but she could craft her words readily enough when needed.

"I arrived earlier than you to the castle," she told him carefully. "There is a wonderful library here that was put at my disposal, part of the payment for my services. I got used to getting an early breakfast so I would have more time to spend there."

There, that should have been enough to deflect any suspicion and when 'James' stopped frowning, Belle knew she was successful. She would have to be more careful about her words in the future, though. This one was too close.

"Would you like some oatmeal?" she asked as she turned to the stove, stirring the pot she had put on earlier.

"Yes, thank you," he said. "Do you need any help?" he offered but Belle waved him off.

"No need, it's almost done."

She kept silent after that, although there were many questions she would like to ask. Once the meal was done, she set out a couple of bowls, pouring the oatmeal into each generously.

"I thought not many ladies knew how to cook," 'James' told her as he accepted the bowl from her.

"Not many ladies bother to learn," she corrected him, adding honey to her portion. "It's all about a willingness to learn, I think."

The young man looked at her inquiringly.

"You're unlike any lady I ever heard of."

Belle looked down at her bowl. It wasn't the first time she was told something like that. When she was younger, she used to think it was a failure on her part. Nowadays, being different didn't sound so bad.

"I think the world would be a boring place if everyone was the same, don't you think?" She watched him as he mulled her words over. 'James' was different, too. Of course, as Rumplestiltskin had told her, he had been raised a shepherd and became a prince through Rumplestiltskin's manipulations. It was a good thing, in her opinion. As long as he remembered where he had come from, he would be good to his subjects. Or at least she hoped so. She had a good feeling about him.

"I think you're right," he agreed. He smiled then. "Honestly, I didn't expect someone like you to be my teacher. I thought the Dark One himself would teach me."

"That would have been interesting," she agreed, suppressing a smile at the thought of Rumplestiltskin teaching 'James' how to dance. It would have been a sight worth seeing.

The conversation flew easier for them than last night. Whether it was because 'James' started trusting her more or for some other reason, he told her quite a lot about himself - his real name being David, his doubts about this arrangement, his childhood on the farm. Belle didn't try and stop him. He probably needed to talk it out and she was willing to lend him her ear.

"You know, I always wanted to have a sibling," David said when Belle stood up to prepare the tea. She hummed to show she was listening and he continued. "And now I find out I had one all this time except he's dead and I'm supposed to take his place. I feel almost cheated."

"I always wanted a sibling, too," she told him. "I guess a lot of children wish for that at one time."

"Are you an only child?"

"Yes, my mother died when I was very young."

She didn't explain further. Her mother had always been a distant figure, known to her only from hearsay and a few portraits in the gallery and her father's study. There had been a time in her adolescence when Belle had realized she couldn't muster enough emotion to actually miss her and it had made her feel guilty for a while. Then again, how could you miss something or someone you never knew?

"I'm sorry," David said but Belle just shrugged.

"It's alright."

She checked the water in the kettle and seeing it close to the boiling point, she set out the cups and reached for the pot. A faint change in the air was the only warning she got before Rumplestiltskin's voice sounded right from behind her.

"What do you two think you are doing?"

Two sudden noises in one morning was simply too much and Belle dropped the pot. Rumplestiltskin tsked at her.

"You're quite a terror on my crockery, dearie," he said, waving his hand and restoring the broken thing. He looked at David, then back at her and shook his head. "And you could charm secrets out of a cobra. Is the concept of secrecy so difficult to comprehend for both of you?"

"There is no real harm in talking and you know I won't tell anyone," Belle retorted and changed the subject quickly. "Would you like some breakfast?"

He blinked, staring at her like he always did when she did something differently than he expected.

"Just the tea," he said at last and sat down, taking a cup from her. He looked at David who looked unsure of himself now and tutted. "We'll have to do something about you. Going around, blabbing out the truth to any pretty girl who listens. Almost as bad as your brother, dearie."

"He talked a lot, too?" David asked, obviously desperate for any information on his never-before-known sibling. Rumplestiltskin giggled, his face twisting unpleasantly as he sneered.

"No, not that. He was quite the ladies' man, the late Prince James. And servant girls' man, kitchen maids' man, village girls' man. He had quite a reputation. Those who ended up with just a broken heart were lucky ones."

"I thought it was just rumours," Belle said. She had made the connection earlier when David had mentioned King George's name but as she had never met the said Prince, she had thought those things had been the usual exaggerations due to the distance.

"There is a grain of truth to most of the rumours," Rumplestiltskin told her and then let out another giggle as if something amusing occured to him. "In this case, there is a whole bag of truth to them."

Belle had to smile at that. The topic itself wasn't exactly laughworthy but Rumplestiltskin's little quips and clever sayings were. She liked his unusual sense of humour, though it could be a bit dark at times.

"Do I have to act like him?" David asked, his face scrunching up in distaste. "My mother taught me to treat women with respect and chasing them like that doesn't seem very respectful."

"You can do whatever you like, dearie," Rumplestiltskin told him with a flourish of his hands. "You are going to be a prince. Make up some tale about how your encounter with a dragon made you reflect on your life and change your ways. Go around being a gallant knight, taking but one kiss from a pretty woman as a reward or shun their company completely. It's up to you."

He finished his cup of tea and stood up.

"We have dithered enough. It's time..." he trailed off dramatically as he leaned over the table, David leaning back subconsciously, "...for your dancing lesson." He straightened up and pointed at Belle. "You run along and change into something more... festive, then come into the ballroom in the west wing. We'll have the lesson there."

"What about the dishes?" she asked but with a wave of his hand, the table was clear. "Thank you."

"No matter."

It was his usual response to her gratitude. Being thanked made him uncomfortable. Belle thought he had lived for too long in a world where everything came with a price. Rather than draw more attention to him, she nodded and went to her room to change. She wasn't surprised to see her golden dress laid out for her. She wondered for just a moment about how she would put it on but the moment she touched it, the magic swirled around her and clad her in the gown. Well, at least he hadn't enchanted her feet. At least she hoped he hadn't.

Smoothing her hand down, she almost regretted not having something more comfortable to wear but a ballroom dancing required a ballroom dress. She could put up with it for one day. Somehow, she knew it was going to be a long one.


	4. Dancing Steps

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The original version is [here](http://rumbelleshowdown.tumblr.com/post/89031520973/to-make-a-prince-dancing-steps). The prompts were: _Frog prince_ , _Pick up lines_ , _It isn’t tea_
> 
> For the second dance, imagine the ball from The Price of Gold.

The ballroom in the west wing looked different from what Belle remembered. That part of the Dark Castle stood unused and a general sweeping and dusting once a month was deemed sufficient by her. Rumplestiltskin must have magicked it clean for the lesson, though, because the floor was polished, the windows were gleaming and there were no sheets over the few pieces of furniture that lined the walls. It was actually a beautiful room and Belle decided she would spend some time later on reading a book or two on the chaise lounge she could see tucked away under one of the windows.

Rumplestiltskin himself was lounging in an ornate chair, just putting away his hip flask - she had asked him early on in her stay what he kept in there and gotten a dismissive "It certainly isn't tea, dearie" reply - with David standing nearby and looking out the window at the garden. Both of them were dressed differently from the morning although she noted that David didn't fidget in his new clothes the way he had before. And she had never seen Rumplestiltskin fidget because of clothes. Other things, yes, but not clothes.

"Here comes the lady, Your Highness," Rumplestiltskin spoke in his trilling voice when he spotted her and Belle had to blink in surprise. She knew that tone. Why would he be angry, though? Had something happened in those few minutes that had passed since breakfast? She looked between the two men uncertainly.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. David nodded and she could see he had noticed nothing strange about Rumplestiltskin's behaviour. Of course, she knew Rumplestiltskin better than David did. Although, it wasn't his usual anger, now that she thought about it. She had witnessed him angry on occasion after he had come back from an unsuccessful meeting and there was that memorable encounter with Robin Hood during her first days in the castle. This time was different. He was angry, yes, but he seemed almost embarrassed about it and she had to wonder what had brought this on.

"We were just waiting for you, my lady," David said, interrupting her thoughts as he walked over and bowed to her as she had taught him last night.

"Here's another lesson for you, boy," Rumplestiltskin told him, taking another sip from his flask. "The ladies always take their time but it's not polite to point it out. You should have complimented her instead."

"You do look lovely," David said hastily. Belle suppressed a sigh. Just last night she had asked Rumplestiltskin to stop his teasing and leave the lessons to her. To be fair, he hadn't actually said he would obey her wishes on the matter but still.

"Thank you," Belle told David and then stepped closer to Rumplestiltskin and looked down at him. "Helping me out on my job?" she asked mock-sternly, hoping to remind him of their previous talk and maybe break him out of his strange mood.

"Helping the boy out in general," he replied. "There are women trouble in his future, dearie," he said quietly but with a certain glee. "Quite an interesting situation, too. No need to add to it with some thoughtless remarks, though, wouldn't you say?"

"That's very generous of you," she said and saw a quick smile pass his face. Belle had realized at the breakfast that the reason Rumplestiltskin was going through all this trouble was to make David feel indebted to him. After all, he could have just taken him to the king's castle, no preparations, no lessons and his end of a bargain would have still been held up. This arrangement was an additional and not quite necessary favour for David on Rumplestiltskin's part. She could only wonder what his motive was for doing that. "But this is supposed to be a dancing lesson, not a conversation one."

"You said yourself he was a quick learner, I'm sure he can handle it."

And there was that embarrassed-angry-and-sulky-at-once tone again. But she didn't have time to ponder it now. Now, she had a dancing lesson to teach and she would apparently have to put up with Rumplestiltskin's running commentary while doing it. Best to get it over with.

"Let's get started then," she said and turned to David, leading him further into the room. She showed him the steps for the waltz first, since she had enjoyed the dance better than most. She knew she could be clumsy at times and having a partner to keep her from tripping or falling down was much appreciated by her. She then positioned their hands - silently bemoaning the fact she had to reach up considerably due to the height difference - and started counting out slowly. "One, two, three. One, two, three."

David was a quick learner, indeed, although he kept glancing down at his feet. That was normal for beginners so she decided to let it pass for now. Rumplestiltskin, though, had other thoughts.

"Your Highness," he called out. "Are you looking at your feet or down the lady's dress? It's hard to say from here."

David let go of her as if burned.

"I would never!" he protested and Belle was inclined to believe him. She had danced with enough men to know the difference between them watching their feet or something else entirely. Then again, she also heard the clearly annoyed tone in Rumplestiltskin's voice - nothing ambiguous about this one - and she suspected he was speaking up for her, which was both sweet and annoying. She could speak up for herself as he should have remembered.

"I know you wouldn't," she told David and shot Rumplestiltskin a disapproving look for teasing the other man and interrupting her lesson. She had to agree with him, though, that from the outside, things did look suspicious but there were other ways to bring it to attention. "Rumplestiltskin has a point, though, so try not to look down while we dance. You're doing well enough and it's more polite to look at your partner instead of elsewhere. Alright?"

"Alright," he agreed and took her left hand again. They circled the room slowly, David keeping his eyes studiously at Belle's face. She was no longer counting the steps for him and if his movements were still somewhat awkward and stilted, he was no worse than some of the nobles she had danced with before so she smiled reassuringly at him.

"See? You're doing well."

"Thank you."

Belle called a pause to the lesson after they did two more circles around the room, thinking a literal change of pace was needed. The dance she had in mind was very popular but more complicated than the waltz. While she could explain the steps like she had before, a demonstration would be much better. Besides, this was all Rumplestiltskin's idea so he might as well help out and it was a way to get back at him in a harmless way. If he was so quick to criticize the other man, he should at least show he knew what he was talking about. She came to his chair and smiled down at him.

"Will you help me demonstrate the steps for the reel?" she asked. He blinked, taken aback by her request. She kept her smile and extended her hand for him to take. She wasn't taking a no for an answer.

"Why do you think I can even dance?" he asked, his gaze jumping between her hand and her face.

"I might have heard a story or two," she replied easily. "About you attending royal balls and mingling."

"Is that so?" he asked, rising from his seat but not taking her hand.

"It is," she confirmed. It was true although it didn't happen often. Rumplestiltskin seemed to prefer more private settings for his deal makings. Unless he wanted to make an example of someone. "The stories also mentioned you turning princes into frogs."

"He broke a deal with me and over such a triffling thing, too," he said off-handedly and then looked over at David. "Keep that in mind, dearie. No one breaks a deal with me."

There was a note of warning in his voice and Belle wondered if a premonition was the source of his inexplainable anger. But she had no time to contemplate it as Rumplestiltskin bowed to her in an exaggerated fashion.

"My lady?"

Her answering curtsey was more of a reflex but when he took her hand, leading her into the opening twirl, she was able to follow easily, matching his steps as he whirled her towards the centre of the room.

"This is a dance meant for light conversation," Rumplestiltskin addressed David who was watching from the side. "For wooing, even. Saying sweet words meant to charm the lady." He led Belle through a series of turns and then leaned closer with a wink only she could see. "For example, you could say: Your beauty outshines the stars outside, milady."

It seemed Rumplestiltskin was determined to insinuate himself into these lessons and Belle resigned to the inevitable. At least he was taking this one somewhat seriously. It didn't mean she would make it easy for him. If he was wanted to show off, he could work for it. Raising one eyebrow to show how unimpressed she was with his compliment, Belle looked pointedly at the large windows and the sunlight shining through them.

"Some ladies, though," she told David, "can see right through the flattery. It's mid-morning, kind sir," she addressed Rumplestiltskin. "There are no stars visible," she said and smiled sweetly at him. He looked taken aback for a moment by her rejoinder. And then he pulled her close by the waist - just as the dance called for - and smirked as they circled each other.

"My apologies. Your presence alone is a dazzling radiance that outshines the sun," he said pointedly, prompting a short laugh from her. "It must have adled my wit."

Belle had to give him that one. He knew how to use words to his advantage and she was enjoying the fact that he was so quick to reply, instead of taking offense that she dared to talk back. She glanced briefly at David who was watching them closely and with a bemused smile.

"My advice, David, would be to be honest. That's the best approach," Belle said.

"He's going to pretend to be someone else," Rumplestiltskin pointed out as he twirled her one last time and brought them to a stop before David, letting go of her hands slowly. He looked at David and shrugged. "You will have to lie a lot, might as well get used to it."

"I know that," David replied. "I can at least try to be honest about other things, though, right?"

"Oh yes, the choice is always yours," Rumplestiltskin said. "But so are the consequences of that choice."

Belle wondered if he was talking about her as well as about David but she couldn't see his expression as he moved back to his chair. And then he sat down, throwing his leg over the armrest and he was back to being the inscrutable Dark One instead of the witty man who had danced with her.

"I think the demonstration was quite sufficient and time's wasting, dearie. Back to dancing with you. I'll supervise from here."

And so Belle took the would-be-prince's hand again and went with him over the steps and moves he had seen. She consoled herself that she would find time later on to talk to Rumplestiltskin about his behaviour and this time she would wrangle a clear agreement from him on just how these lessons would go. She could be patient until then.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following chapter will be a brand new, unpublished material since I was voted out after this round. It will be out sometime early next week, since I am also writing some kinky fics for my 69 followers promptathon so I need to split my writing time.


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